Multi-camera fluorescence microscopy provides a dedicated camera for each fluorescent emission channel allowing for improved speed and optical optimization. However, splitting the fluorescent emission channels into different optical paths and directing each emission channel to a separate camera often results in asymmetric and complicated optical systems. Consider for example a typical microscope with three cameras located on three different sides of the microscope. Light composed of three emission channels emitted from three different fluorescently labeled components of a specimen is collected by an objective lens. The light exits the objective lens and is split by the microscope optical system into three separate beams. Each beam is composed of light of one of the emission channels that travels along a separate optical path to one of the three cameras.
However, because the cameras are located on different sides of the microscope, the camera cables and tubes used to transport coolant to the cameras project out of each side of the microscope that includes a camera. As a result, the footprint of the microscope can be large, which may be a problem when attempting to install the microscope in a limited lab space. In addition, the camera layout is asymmetric and irregular cabling and tube projections can substantially diminish the overall aesthetics of the microscope. For these reasons, engineers, scientists, and microscope manufacturers continue to seek microscopes with layouts that reduce the overall footprint of the microscope and are more aesthetically pleasing.